Wednesday will be the last rain-free shopping day before Christmas. Cloud cover will be filling in as the day goes on ahead of what looks to be a fairly potent storm system for Christmas Eve. Temperatures around the area will start out chilly — low 40s, with wind chills around 37-38° possible with a light breeze — before warming into the mid-60s despite the cloud cover. A shower or two can’t be ruled out closer to midnight Wednesday as well.

We have a rather gorgeous Tuesday ahead as high pressure moves along to our northeast. Downslope flow will continue, allowing temperatures to warm back into the low 60s for the afternoon after starting out in the low 40s under full sunshine.

We’ll start the last few days before Christmas a little warmer than we have been of late, but Santa has cold high pressure for us for Christmas and beyond as we get into the holiday weekend.

If you want to get outside a bit this weekend and enjoy some legitimate sweater weather, Saturday is the day to do it — we’ll have a mix of sun and clouds with highs topping out in the mid-50s. Rain should hold off until after midnight, with periods of showers in the cards for Sunday. It’ll be a touch warmer despite the rain, but temperatures will continue to run below normal through the last shopping weekend before Christmas.